As part of the ESA Green Agenda and the Clean Space Office, we must drive the design of space products and services towards minimizing the environmental impacts throughout their entire life cycle.
Building on the insights from the first conference on ‘Understanding the Atmospheric Effects from Spacecraft Re-Entry’, the workshop series on the environmental impact of space transportation systems, and continued joint efforts of the AIRL (Atmospheric Impact of Re-entry and Launches) initiative driven with the ESSC, this second workshop focuses on identifying key scientific gaps and formulating urgent recommendations to support further research.
It aims to emphasize the critical importance of collecting real-world data to advance our understanding of the physicochemical processes associated with spacecraft launch and re-entry emissions. With the rapid growth of the space industry and the increasing frequency of satellite launches and re-entries, assessing their atmospheric and environmental impact has become a critical priority.
Recent findings indicate that anthropogenic metal emissions from spacecraft re-entries could become a major contributor to the stratospheric particle load, exceeding the natural meteoritic influx. Observations from high-altitude aircraft and ground-based facilities have identified metal-rich particles in the stratosphere, raising concerns about their potential role in ozone depletion, atmospheric chemistry, cloud formation, and radiative forcing. The World Meteorological Organization warns ‘’that these interactions are poorly understood...and periodic assessment and critical knowledge gap identification are warranted.’’
This workshop will explore the key scientific, engineering, and environmental issues related to spacecraft launch and re-entry, including:
- Field measurement campaigns – reviewing existing field study findings and exploring future initiatives to detect and analyse aerosols containing launcher and spacecraft-derived particles.
- Chemistry of launch and re-entry emissions – investigating how spaceflight compounds such as nitrous oxide, metal oxides, black carbon, and ablated materials interact with the gases and aerosols already present in the ‘background’ stratosphere and mesosphere, including their potential to catalyse ozone depletion and alter cloud formation.
- Advancements in modelling and laboratory simulations – assessing how experimental and computational approaches can improve predictions of atmospheric impacts.
- Methodologies for integrating atmospheric impacts into life cycle assessments – Evaluating how launchers and spacecraft can be designed to minimize environmental impact.
- Cross-disciplinary collaboration – bringing together experts in atmospheric science, the space sector, and policy to identify research gaps and explore strategies for regulation.
As space activities continue to expand, coordinating upper-atmosphere research and data-driven policymaking is increasingly essential. This workshop will provide a collaborative platform for the scientific and industrial communities to align efforts, ensuring that future space missions adopt sustainable and environmentally responsible practices.
We invite researchers, industry professionals, and policymakers to actively contribute to this discussion and play a key role in shaping the future of atmospheric impact assessment in the space sector.
